Driving mechanism for bicycles



N0. 6|4,999. Patented Nov. 29, I898. W. E. TAFT.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES.

(Application, filed. Dec. 29, 1897.)

No Model.)

l7 5 Q H Jz (i fl ML 7 WITNESSES. INVEIN'TIJR'.

UNITED STATES ATE T OFFICE.

WALTER E. TAFT, OF PRovIDENoE, RIIonE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY DIREoT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To THE UNIVERSAL MANUFACTURING COM- PANY, OF MAINE.

DRIVING MECHANISM FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,999, dated November 29, 1898. Application filed December 29, 1897. Serial No. 664,428. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: f f f and engaging with the teeth of the pin Be it known that I, WALTER E. TAFT, a citiion F, secured to the hub b of the drivingzen of the United States, residing at Provi- Wheel, the gear H and the pinion F being 10- 3 5 dence, in the State of Rhode Island, have incated in parallel planes, with theintermediate 5 vented a new and useful Improvement in annular gear G arranged angularly to said Driving Mechanism for Bicycles, of which the planes and connecting the said gears. The following is a specification. crank-shaft gear H and the pinion F are rep- The object of my invention is to provide resented as bevel-gears having their sides of 6 practical means for transmitting power to the greatest diameter at opposite sides of the re- IO driving-wheel by the employment of gears arspective gears, as shown in the drawings, and ranged in such a manner that what is termed by this means the power may be economically a narrow tread may be attained; and it transmitted from the crank-shaft B to the consists in an improved combination and ardriving-wheel. 45 rangement of gearing, as hereinafter fully set Instead of employing an annular Interme- I 5 forth. diate gear G, as shown in Fig. 1, an interme- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 diate gear G, arranged to rotate upon a stud represents a side view of a bicycle provided 9, may be employed, as shown in Fig. 4, the with my improved driving mechanism. Figs. said stud being attached in any convenient 5o 2 and 3 represent enlarged detail top views manner to the frame I of the bicycle.

20 showing the angular arrangement of the in- I claim as my inventiontermediate gear. Fig. 4 represents a detail The combination of a bicycle-frame, the side View of the gears of the driving mechandriving-Wheel, the crank-shaft, the bevel-gear ism, the intermediate gear being arranged to pinion, and the bevel crank-shaft gear, hav- 55 revolve upon a stud instead of upon antifricing their greatest diameters at opposite sides 25 tion-rollers. of the intermediate gear,and the intermediate In the drawings Figs. 1 and 2, A represents gear set at an angle with the planes of the the crank-shaft bracket; B, the crank-shaft; crank-shaft gear and the pinion substantially O, the driving-wheel bracket; D, the drivingas described.

wheel, and E the gear-casing. WALTER E. TAFT. 30 The crank-shaft gear H engages with the Witnesses: teeth of the intermediate annular gear G, sup- SOORATES SOHOLFIELD,

ported upon the antifriction-roller bearings HENRY E. HUGHES. 

